SRINAGAR: In a major initiative for the expansion of Jammu city, the J&K Housing Board (JKHB) is going to develop an Integrated Smart Satellite Township for a population of about 50,000 along the ring road at Bhalwal.
The decision to develop the satellite township was taken today during a meeting of JKHB’s Board of Directors under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary Housing & Urban Development Department, Dheeraj Gupta.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Pandurang K Pole; Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar; Managing Director J&K Housing Board, Shahid Saleem; Chief Town Planner Jammu, Anil Raina; Chief Town Planner Kashmir, Iftikhar Hakim, representatives of R&B, Finance, and Planning departments and other senior officers attended the meeting in person and through virtual mode.
During the meeting, it was informed that the proposed township will be a completely self-sufficient state-of-the-art satellite town with all modern infrastructure and amenities, including commercial and institutional usage, and it will also provide livelihood opportunities for its residents within the township. It will be for the first time in about three decades that the Housing Board will take up the development of a housing colony in Jammu.
The proposed township will fully take care of the expansion needs of Jammu city.
Apart from this, the Board approved setting up of residential colonies at Chatterhama in Srinagar on 353 kanals of land, Bakura on 214 kanals of land, and at Kathua on 80 kanals of land. These colonies will have a mix of individual housing plots as well as flatted accommodation.
To cater to the needs of the floating and migrant population, the Board approved the 1st ever Affordable Rental Housing Complex (ARHC) at Sunjwan in Jammu. The ARHC comprising 336 1-BHK apartments will become operational by March 2023.
In another decision, the Board decided to set-up Twin-Towers at Gole Market, Gandhi Nagar Jammu. The prime piece of property has been mired in litigation for a very long time. The Board directed the Managing Director Housing Board to pursue the case before the High Court so that the prestigious project could be launched on priority. The project would overcome the major issue of parking in Gole Market, Apsara Road market, and the nearby offices and hospitals by providing space for about 720 cars. It would also provide about 150 shops and other commercial spaces that would open up livelihood opportunities for unemployed youth in a highly sought-after commercial area in the heart of Jammu city.
In an important relief to the plot owners of the colonies developed by the Housing Board, JDA, and SDA, the Board approved a uniform policy for settling plot-related issues in all the agencies of the H&UDD. To upgrade the infrastructure in the colonies of the Housing Board, the Board also approved an action plan for the current year for various upgradation works for Rs 27 crores. The Board directed the Managing Director to get the works completed in an expeditious manner.
